Head covering



June 7, 1932. M. E. VAN SICKLE HEAD COVERING f Filed April 1, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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' 6. y -4g M ATTORN Y June 7, 1932. M. E. VAN SICKLE HEAD COVERING FiledApril 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR S/IQQ/Yw W ATTOR Y4,6%WAA/A./A///W///////////MA////////9???5545 Patented June 7, 1932MELVIN E. VAN SICKLE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA HEAD COVERINGAppIication filed April 1, 1931. Serial No. 526,931.

My invention relates broadly to head coverings and more particularly tomeans for rendering a head covering comfortable to the wearer at thesame time that a snug fit of the head covering around the crown of thewearer is insured.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction ofbathing cap or helmet in which a band of soft and pliable sponge rubberis secured around the interior edge of the bathing cap for establishingtight fitting contact with the crown of the wearer for providin a seal.

Another 0 ject of my invention is to provide a'construction of headcovering having a flexible band of sponge rubber extending around theinterior edge of the head covering and deformable out of shape toconform to the crown of the wearer for establishing a tight seal forpreventing the entry of moisture or foreign matter and protecting thehair of the wearer.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction offlexible rubber head covering having the sponge rubber beading securedto the interior perlpheral edge thereof, the sponge rubber beading beingencased in a flexible jacket and adapted to provide a seal with respectto the crown of the wearer for rendering thehead covering moisture anddust tight for protecting the hair of the wearer.-

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction ofsponge rubber beading for establishing a seal between the peripheraledge of a flexible head covering and the crown of the wearer as will bemore fully set forth in the specification hereinafter following byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bathing cap embodying my invention,partially broken away and shown in cross-section; Fig. '2 is a frontview of the bathing cap equipped with the sponge rubber heading inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional view of afragmentary portion of the bathing cap taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig.4 is a perspective view of the bathing cap shown in reverse position toillustrate the continuity of the flexible band around the interioredgeof the bathing cap; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showingthe manner in which the sponge rubber beading is attached to theinterior peripheral edge of the head covering; Fig. 6 shows the mannerin which the portions of the sponge rubber beading are displaced whenthe head covering is positioned over the crown of the wearer forestablishing a moisture and dust tight seal and preventing the entry ofmoisture, dust or foreign matter into the hair of the wearer; Fig. 7shows the application of the flexible beadin of my invention to a tam orberet type of iiead covering; and Fi 8 is a cross-sectional view showinga modi ed form of sponge rubber pad ding encased in a moisture proofskin which it attached to the inside peripheral edge of the headcovering.

My invention employs a band of sponge rubber secured aroundthe interiorperipheral edge of the head covering. The-sponge rubber is eitherintegrallysunited witha solid skin surface or is enclosed .in aflexible, smooth, glazed skin for the purpose of turning water orprohibiting the water from being absorbed by the sponge rubber. Thebeading of sponge rubber is secured to the interior peripheral edge ofthe head covering by vulcanzing or cementing, or by other improvedmethods of attachments in such position that the sponge rubber isdisplaced out of its normal shape as the head covering is drawn over thecrown. The sponge rubber by reason of its qualities of deformation,closely conforms with the variations in the shape of the crown andestablishes atight seal for preventing the entry of moisture or dustbeneath the surface of the head cover-' ing. In this way the hair of thewearer may be protected.

My invention is applicable for a variety. of purposes such asa utilitycap; a bathing or a head covering for a nurse or a physician.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 1 designates arubber bathing cap shown in position upon a wearer, the bathing caphaving an enlarged peripheral edging molded integrally therewith-shownat 2. The peripheral edging 2 provides a reinforcement for the edge oftheba'thing cap 1 and provides a substantial backing against which thesponge rubber beading, represented generally at 3 is secured. The spongerubber heading 3 is attached to the bathing cap 1 by vulcanizing,cementing or by other approved methods. The characteristics of thebeading 3 will be understood from the cross-sectional views in Figs. 5and 6, which illustrate the cellular construction of the beading. Thesponge rubber is shown in normal position in Fig.5, presenting a flatglazed surface 4 inwardly toward the crown of the wearer and edgesurfaces 5-and 6 at opposite ends thereof. "These surfaces are glazedand are rendered moisture proof for the purpose of turning water so thatabsorp-. tion of waterby the sponge rubber is prevented. In Fig. 6 themanner in which the sponge rubber is deformed out of position as thehead covering is drawn over the crown of the wearer, has beenillustrated. It will be' observed that the cellular construction of thesponge rubber 3 is compressed at' the cens tral zone 7 while remainingexpanded at the zones 8 and 9. This permits the sponge rubber to serveas a pad conforming to the shape of the crown and establishing a sealingzone around the crown and preventing seepage of foreign matter,moisture, or dust into the hair. The surface is impervious to moisture.The surface 4: is glazed and smoothed and serves to turn water which maytend to seep beneath the head covering into the hair.' The sponge rubbermass retains its flexible homogeneous characteristics and tendsto springinto the irregularities of the crown forming a ti ht sealing zone. Thesponge rubber ban which encircles the interior peripheral edge of thehood portion 1 has its rear surface 10 connectedto the lower interiorsurface of the flexible hood 1 by vulcanizing, cementing, orbothermethods'. Atight connection is estabhshed between the sponge rubberband and the flexible wall of the hood 1 immediately behind theexteriorreenforced edging 2.

In order to-secure the hood over.the crown of the wearer, I provide astrap member represented at 11 havinga plurality of apertures 12adjacent-each end thereof adapted to be slipped over the heads of buttonmeme In .lieu of the sponge rubber having a,

\ sponge rubber 3. The envelope 16 is sealed to the inner peripheraledge of the flexible hood and provides the same deformable band as hasbeen heretofore described in connection with Figs. 5 and 6. Asheretofore noted the sealing means of my invention is also adapted tothe conventional skull type of bathing cap shown in Fig. 7 and may bereadilymodified to provide a sealing zone around the peri heral edge ofthe beret and tam types of athing caps. -The sealing means of myinvention is particularly adaptable to'bathing or other types of capswhere a tight sealing zone'is required and yet where'a loose fit-of thecaps is necessary for covering a large quantity of hair to be protected.

intended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claim.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is as follows:

A head covering comprising a hood of flexible rubber having itsmarginsexternally thickened to form a reinforcing bead, and a strip 'of spongerubber extending about marginal portions of said hood and firml securedin close watertight engagement wit 1 the inner face thereof, said stripbeing of greater width than thickness and extending from the margin ofthe hood to a point well above the upper edge of said bead and beingrectangular in cross section and having its edge faces and exposed sideface glazed to provide a smooth imperforate waterproof surface. a

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature. MELVIN E. VAN ICKLE.

bers 14 in each side of the divers helmet type of flexible rubberbathing'cap shown in Figs.

1 and 2. The buttons 14. are secured through apertures 15inthe-reenforced edging 2 of the flexible head covering 1 in the positionshown-more clearly in .Fig. 4. The band 11 may therefore be adjusted forsecuring the head covering over the crown with desired tension forconforming to the crown as represented more clearly in Fig. 3.

